Can-opening device



July 3, 192-8. 1.675.647

Q. GENJACK CAN OPENING DEVICE Filed April 25, 1927 INVENTOR CONRAD GE/wAcK A TroR'A/EYs Patented July 3, 1928.

CONRAD GEN-TACK, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

CAN-OPENING DEVICE.

Application filed April 25, 1927. Serial No. 186,391.

My invention relates to improvements in can opening devices which are particularly adapted for use in removing pressed on covers from cans, and which are preferably secured to the covers by the manufacturer and sold with thecans. The objects of the invention are to provide means whereby a leverage may be applied between the rim of the cover and the can top to raise the cover that it may be removed without difficulty or withouthaving recourse tothe use of other tools or devices.

The invention consists essentially of a lever preferably hingingly connected upon the rim of the can cover and adapted to have its bearing point brought into contact with the can top, as will be morefully described in the following specification, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a can and its cover in closed position showing the can opener attached thereto,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the cover partly raised.

Fig. 3 is a plan vlewof the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view showing the bearing point of the can opener.

Fig. 5 is a view showing amodified method of forming the can cover and the top wall of the can to permit the can opener to lie below the upper horizontal plane of the can.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

The numeral 1 indicates a can having side walls 2 and an apertured top wall 3 which usually consists er an annular margin into which a cover, generally indicated by the numeral 4 is tightly pressed. The can cover 4 is provided with a peripheral rim 5 surmounted by an outwardly turned flange 6 which is adapted to extend over the margin or top wall 3 of the can'in the usual way.

The numeral 7 indicates generally the can opener which is preferably formed from a piece of sheet metal and provided at its inner end with a lever arm 8 having downwardly bent sides 9 which are adapted to lie in close contact with the cover when in normal position and provide convenient access for the point of the users finger at the extreme inner end 10 of the lever. The outer end of the opener 7 is downwardly turned to form a, tongue or point of bearing 11, which is preferably provided with an inclined face 12, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Intermediate the length of the opener 7 a pair of side extensions 13 areprovided which are bent into substantially tubular form about the flange 6 of the portion of the top wall 3 is depressed as V at 14L, shown in dotted line, and the peripheral rim 5 of the cover 4 is similarly depressed as at 15, the ends of such depressions being gradually sloped as at 16 so as to per mit the can opener 7 to be moved circumferentially from its normal posit-ion within the recess 15. The recess 15 is of such a depth as to allow the top surface of the opener 7 to lie below the top of the side walls 2 of the can, so that the top of one can will provide a level base for another which is superimposed upon it in packing or storage.

In use, the inner extremity 10 of the can opener will be raised by the finger or thumb, which will cause the tongue 11 to bear upon the top margin 3 and raise the side of the cover 4 in which the opener 7 is positioned. Should one movement of the opener be insufiieient to free the cover from the can, the opener is subsequently moved in a. clocle wise direction about the rim 5 to a new position when a further lifting effort would be applied.

It is sometimes found that the material used in the product-ion of the top margin 3 of the can is very light so that the pressure of the tongue 11. produces an indentation therein, where this occurs the depression of the inner end 10 of the opener will so elevate ing a lever adapted to be hingingly appliedto the rim of the cover and having a downwardly turned tongue adapted to bear upon the can as the lever is raised to lift the cover from the can, said tongue having an inclined lower extremity.

Dated at Vancouver, B. 0., this 16th day of April, 1927.

CQNRAD GENJACK. 

